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Rare George Washington Rye Whiskey Signed by President Clinton to be Auctioned at Mount Vernon Gala on Oct. 14

October 6, 2014 03:55 PM

MOUNT VERNON, VA – A bottle of the first-ever limited edition George Washington’s Distillery Straight Rye whiskey signed by former President Bill Clinton will be the highlight of a live auction October 14 at the “Spirit of Mount Vernon” gala event, sponsored by the Distilled Spirits Council on the lawn of the First President’s Mount Vernon estate. The annual dinner and auction raise several hundred thousand dollars for Mount Vernon’s educational mission and, this year, the Wounded Warrior Family Support Program.

This extremely rare whiskey, #11 of 24 bottles, is from the very first batch of rye whiskey distilled at Mount Vernon in 200 years. It was produced Oct. 21, 2003 on the distillery grounds by a collaborative team of master distillers from the nation’s top whiskey brands according to the historic recipe found in George Washington’s mansion records, and hand-bottled on Sept. 26, 2006. Another bottle of the limited edition signed by former president George H.W. Bush, fetched $35,000 in 2007. Bottles #1 & 2 sold in a group for $100,000 to publisher Marvin Shanken in 2006.

“This is an opportunity to own an extraordinary piece of presidential history,” said DISCUS President and CEO Peter H. Cressy. “This is a must-have for the ultimate spirits collector: a rare 18th-century style rye whiskey produced at the distillery of our first President and signed by our 42nd.”

House Ways and Means Chair Camp to be Honored

In addition to a live and silent auction, the gala will feature an award ceremony inducting three new members into the George Washington Spirits Society. The 2014 inductees include: The Honorable David Camp (R-MI); Christophe Navarre, Chairman and CEO of Moët Hennessy; and Charles Merinoff, Chairman and CEO of Charmer Sunbelt Group.

Other Auction Items: Clooney-Signed Tequila, Sports Memorabilia

Other interesting items in the pre-dinner silent auction include a bottle of Casamigos Tequila signed by actor George Clooney; a football helmet signed by Alfred Morris of the Washington NFL team; a Florida Marlins jersey signed by star player Giancarlo Stanton; and numerous other items of interest to collectors and connoisseurs alike.

This year marks the 13th anniversary of the “Spirit of Mount Vernon” gala, which has raised more than $3.25 million for Mount Vernon and its educational mission. More than 700 guests are expected to attend the event including members of Congress, Ambassadors, industry leaders and the media.

In addition to the Distilled Spirits Council, the event is sponsored by the Wine and Spirits Wholesalers of America; the American Bankers Association, the International Dairy Foods Association; the National Restaurant Association; the National Retail Federation; the National Association of Chain Drug Stores; the International Franchise Association; the National Association of Manufacturers, the American Trucking Association and George Washington’s Mount Vernon.

Serious collectors wishing to purchase tickets for the event in order to bid on the bottle can contact Cheryl Hecht at 202-682-8840.